Ben Bettendorf grew up in the restaurant trade. He went from working in his father&apos;s restaurants to cooking in some top local kitchens, and now runs one of the most popular sushi restaurants in Cape Town with his partner &apos;Papa San&apos;. A life in front-of-house and kitchens has given him a rare insight into the delights (and the eye-rolls) of dealing with customers, and plenty of grist for his hilarious observations about working in the service industry. We chatted about Obi Restaurant in Long Street and his analogies about customer service moments.  <ul> <li>On Instagram @a_table_inthecorner</li> <li>Cover image sketched by Courtney Cara Lawson</li> <li>All profile portraits by Russel Wasserfall unless otherwise credited</li> </ul>

20. Michelle Nelson - A Cook in the Wind

A Table in the Corner is the space where Russel Wasserfall chats to people in the food industry about their passion and their take on the business of eating. Russel has worked in the media and food space for over 3 decades. He's run bars, restaurants and a confectionery factory, written for dozens of food and travel publications and made a bunch of cookbooks. His show is about the nitty-gritty of the food trade in all its forms. Top chefs, food artisans, proprietors, bakers, farmers, foragers, cheesemakers, writers, photographers, bloggers... you name it. If they’re involved in the food industry, you will meet them with Russel at A Table in the Corner.&nbsp;